Liquid dispensing device



Oct. 26, 1937. K. HELLER LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1934 INVENTOR Era/Dame,

' ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Karl Heller, Jersey City, N. J., assignor to Felco Faucet Corporation, Jersey City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 8, 1934, Serial No. 738,907

Claims.

The improvements relate primarily to dispens ing devices, commonly referred to as faucets, for beer, wines and other beverages but are adaptable to other uses and purposes. The objects of the 5 improvements, among others, are to provide an efficient, durable, strong and relatively simple device of this character which will stand up and function under all ordinary conditions of use, will not get out of order, may be quickly and easily adjusted and without disconnecting any of its parts to take up wear, and will not retain any of the liquid therein to become stale, cause fouling of the parts and give rise to unsanitary conditions, but will permit the last drop of the liquid passing fromthe liquid supply column to discharge therefrom leaving a clean, sanitary dry discharge chamber and spout. Other objects and advantages of the improvements will appear to those skilled in the art from the following. specification and the accompanying drawing.

In the dispensing of beer, wines and other like beverages, it is common practice to employ a discharge tube of blocktin or other metal or mineral--such as porcelainwhich will not be easily corroded and will not contaminate or spoil the taste of the liquid beverage. So far as I as aware, however, all dispensing devices heretofore employed are so constructed and arranged that when the dispensing valve is closed small quantities of the liquid will have an opportunity to lodge and remain in thedispensing device. between the valve and the mouth of the discharge spout and. thus be exposed to air. As most beverages con.-

tain sugar, yeast germs and other matter which will ferment or otherwise spoil when exposed to air and atmospheric temperatures, these dispensing devices-become fouled and contaminated, and when permitted to stand out of use for a considerable period will permit unsanitary conditions to arise therein and which will contaminate the beverage afterwards drawn therethrough. It is to avoid such conditions that the present improvements are primarily designed.

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, referred to herein, in which Fig. 1- is. a longitudinal, vertical section of a dispensing device embodying the improvements; and

Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

In the drawing I represents the discharge tube, which is preferably of block tin or other suitable material, 2 is a surrounded threaded sleeve running through the partition 3 and fixed thereon with the tube by. means of a nut. 5 and a bell shaped member 4. The tube I is connected with the spout I l.

the supply pipe 6 having a sleeve I by means of the clamping nut 8- threaded on one end of the sleeve 2. At the forward or discharge and of the tube I a valve seat member 9 is soldered or simi larly secured as indicated at Ill, so that the two ""5 are united by an air and liquid-tight joint. Surrounding this end of thetube I is the plug orcollar I I. The plug I I is threaded onto the forward end of the sleeve 2 and fits snugly in the member I, to which it is also threaded. The forward end of the tube I, at its discharge mouth, is flared as indicated at I5 and the valve seat I4 of the seat member 9 is beveled to receive the valve plug I6, which is preferably a steel ball threaded on the end of the stem I3. A valve body '15 I I2 providing a discharge chamber in front of the valve and having a downwardly extending spout I! is screw threaded to the plug I I, and so formed interiorly that a smooth path is provided for the liquid passing from the valve and down through 20 h It will be observed that by this arrangement no opportunity for the lodgment of liquid between the valve and the mouth ofthe discharge spout is afforded, so that when the valve is closed the last drop of liquid will flow 25 down through the spout and escape, and the spout and discharge chamber of the valve body willbecome clean and dry. By this arrangement provision is made against any fouling or contamination of the dischargeohamber and spout, so that 30 the device will be clean and sanitary and will not contaminate or spoil the flavorof liquid drawn therefrom after the device has been out of operation for a period.

The stem I3 has an enlarged outer end I8 35 with a rounded extreme outer surface I8 to cooperate with the eccentric I9 keyed to the shaft 20 mounted in the valve body I2 and rotatedby the handle 26 fixed to the ends of the shaft by means of its arms I3 By this arrangement the valve plug I6 is moved to the left when the handle 26 is pressed downwardly, bythe action of the eccentric I9 against the rounded end I8 of the stem I3, and the valve is opened. To return the valve to closed position and the handle to its upper position, a spring 2| of rust-proof metal is provided. This spring is confined between the valve seat member 9 and the shoulder formed by .the head I8 on the stem I3, and compressed at all. times between these parts. The movement of the valve stem in valve opening directionplaces the spring 2| under further compression, so that when pressure on the handle 26. is released the plug I6 isv seatedagainst the valve seat. I4. and the handle 26 moved to its upper position, as indicated in dotted lines, by pressure of the head l8 against the eccentric I9. To adjust the valve, if necessary to take up wear, the eccentric 19 may be replaced by one slightly larger, or the valve plug 16 may be replaced. The eccentric may be renewed without opening the valve, and while the dispensing device is in operative position and the liquid supply pipe with liquid in it connected therewith.

A stop 22 on the valve body 12 limits the upward movement of the handle 26, and its downward movement is limited by contact with the cap 23 threaded on the outer end of the valve body. The removal of this cap affords access to the eccentric and the shaft on pivot 20, for cleaning, or lubrication or replacement and permits the handle 26 to drop to a pendent position. A cork packing ring 24 seals off the interior of the valve body through which the liquid is discharged, and this ring is held in position and compressed by a washer 25 threaded in'the valve body and surrounding the end of the plug l8. This plug I8 is held in substantially horizontal position at all times by the ring or washer 25, the packing ring 24 and the annular flange 21 in the interior of the valve body, but the opposite end of the stem l3 carrying the plug IE will be permitted to have a slight lateral or oscillatory movement, so that the plug can seat itself at all times accurately on the valve seat and close the discharge aperture securely. This ability of the plug to accommodate itself at all times to the seat is an important feature of the improvements.

The valve stem I3, the interior surfaces of the valve body which are exposed to the liquid and the spring are plated with or made of tin or other suitable non-corrodible, rustless metal, and the valve seat member 9 and valve plug I6 may also be made of similar metal. It will be seen that the improvements provide a sanitary seal and dispensing conduit between the liquid supply pipe and the discharge mouth of the spout.

I claim:

1. In a liquid dispensing device, a dispensing tube of material non-corrodible by the liquid, means for connecting the same in communication with a conduit from a source of liquid supply, means for mounting said tube in fixed position, a valve seat member united with the discharge end of said tube and extending beyond the same, said member having a valve seat therein through which the liquid is discharged from the discharge end of said tube, said valve seat located in the discharge mouth of said tube and forming in effect a partial closure of the end of said tube, a metallic ball providing a valve plug adapted to engage said seat to close the discharge end of the tube, means for moving said plug into and out of contact with said seat to close or open the discharge mouth of said tube including a cam adapted to cock open the valve by frictional engagement with said plug-moving means and snap closed upon removal of said frictional engagement, a valve body enclosing said discharge end seat and plug, said valve body having a discharge spout extending downwardly from immediate proximity to the end of the tube and said tube communicating directly therewith.

2. In a liquid dispensing device, a dispensing tube of material non-corrodible by the liquid, means for connecting the same in communication with a conduit from a source of liquid supply, means for mounting said tube in fixed position, a valve seat member united with the discharge end of said tube and extending radially beyond the same, said member having a valve seat therein through which the liquid is discharged from the discharge end of said tube, said valve seat located in the discharge mouth of said tube and forming in effect a partial closure of the end of said tube, a metallic ball providing a removable valve plug adapted to engage said seat to close the discharge end of the'tube, means for moving said plug into and out of contact with said seat to close or open 10 the discharge mouth of said tube comprising a valve actuating stem, a compression spring and an eccentric adapted to cook open the valve by frictional engagement with said plug-moving means and snap closed upon removal of said fric- 15 tional engagement, a valve body enclosing said discharge end seat and plug, said valve body having a discharge spout extending downwardly from immediate proximity to the end of the tube and said tube communicating directly therewith, the end of said tube being united with said seat member by material of relatively low fusibility.

3. In a liquid dispensing device, a dispensing tube, means for connecting the same in com munication with a conduit from a source of liquid supply, means formounting said tube in fixed position, a valve seat member united with the discharge end of said tube and extending beyond the same, said member having a valve seat therein through which the liquid is discharged from 1. the discharge end of said tube, said valve seat located in the discharge mouth of said tube and forming in effect a partial closure of the end of said tube, a steel ball adapted to engage said seat to close the discharge end of the tube, means for 3 moving said ball into and out of contact with said seat to close or open the discharge mouth of said tube, comprising a valve stem mounted for reciprocation and carrying said ball, a spring engaging said stem and constantly urging it to 40 closed'position, an eccentric operatively associated with said stem and positioned for engaging same by frictional contact for cooking the valve in open position, a handle for operating said eccentric and arranged to be moved to closed posi- 45 tion thereby through the stem moving action of the spring, and guiding means for said stem removed from said ball and permitting limited lateral movement of the ball.

4. In a liquid dispensing device, a dispensing 50 tube, means for connecting the same in communication with a conduit from a source of liquid supply, means for mounting said tube in fixed position, a valve seat member united with the discharge end of said tube and extending beyond 55 the same, said member having a valve seat therein through which the liquid is discharged from the discharge end of said tube, said valve seat located in the discharge mouth of said tube and forming in effect a partial closure of the end of said tube, a steel ball adapted to engage said seat to close the discharge end of the tube, and means for moving said ball into and out of contact with said seat to close or open the discharge mouth of said tube, comprising a valve stem mounted for reciprocation and carrying said ball, a spring engaging said stem and constantly urging it to closed position, an eccentric operatively associated with said stem and positioned for engaging same by frictional contact for cooking the valve in open position, a handle for operating said eccentric and arranged to be moved to closed position thereby through the stem moving action of the spring.

5. In a liquid dispensing device, a dispensing tube, means for connecting the same in communication with a conduit from a source of liquid supply, means for mounting said tube in fixed position, a valve seat member united with the discharge end of said tube and extending beyond the same, said member having a valve seat therein through which the liquid is discharged from the discharge end of said tube, said valve seat located in the discharge mouth of said tube and forming in effect a partial closure of the end of said tube, a metallic ball adapted to engage said seat to close the discharge end of the tube, said ball located inwardly of said tube from said seat, means extending through said seat for operating said ball including a cam adapted to be releasably cocked in open position by frictional engagement with said plug-operating means, and a liquid discharge conduit extending from said seat and surrounding said means, said conduit having smooth, curved downward contracting uninterrupted walls.

KARL HELLER. 

